Day 297 - Out of the Rain
Trip Start
Jan 10, 2011
1
211
221
Trip End
Jan 08, 2012
La Spezia, Italian Riviera, Italy
Friday, November 4, 2011
SIGHTS & SOUNDS:
La Spezia is a port town with little (relatively) in the way of historic sites. We stopped by on our way to the coast towards Cinque Terre which nearly anyone who has gone there has recommended. Although there had been some disaterous flooding in Cinque Terre the week before, we were planning on skirting that area and going to Genova a little further north. That was not going to happen. With pounding rain we were barricaded by the police from taking some roads that had flooded in La Spezia eventually getting out of town at dusk.
We stopped into a small hotel along the way and the woman said she was closed and warned us away from Genova saying the roads were going to close and it was getting A LOT of rain. Taking her advice and not wanting to risk getting caught in what we'd seen on the news in Cinque Terre we returned to La
Spezia. VERY glad we did as the town of Genova (pop. 610,000) was literally flooded and a complete disaster.
FOOD & DRINK:
We stopped by the sea and ate homemade sandwiches while we watched the rain come down and the waves batter the western coast.
For dinner we walked into La Spezia and while luckily the rain abated. We ate at a local place. Pasta & bread with olive oil of course :).
CULTURE:
The town seemed a little seedy. It was raining and in the slow season but a lot of places seemed to be shut down. It was here we noticed the condom & cigarette vending machines, ready for 24hr service, that it turns out are common in Italy.
There were 3 and 4 star hotels that were way overpriced and we negotiated a decent rate at a 2 star that lived up to its name. It was simple and in need of a reno but clean, dry and safe; it even had wifi from the reception so we were good.
EXPECTED:
Rain.
UNEXPECTED:
THAT much rain and being turned away from a flooding disaster. We've been in proximity to a few of Mother Nature's rants this year...
ALSO: Tomorrow we had inland to Milan, the birthplace of Mia´s mother.
